The jaw-dropping smoked beef short ribs at this pasta restaurant—juicy, with a sweetness that emerges the more you chew.

Photos & Text /Little Tiger Dream Food Network
Ever since I started the Little Tiger Foodie Group, I’ve noticed my social dining calendar piling up rapidly—some meals are even scheduled two months or even half a year in advance... But of course, most of these gatherings aren’t organized by me. Today’s meal was hosted by (Cai Tou), one of the founding members of the Little Tiger Foodie Group who’s currently still gallivanting in Japan and refusing to come back. It was also a solo pasta experience I’d been eager to try for ages.


The address was a bit tricky to find but suddenly appeared before our eyes. The place didn’t look like your average Italian pasta joint at first glance—it felt a little like an Italian bistro. It was a weekday evening, yet the restaurant was almost fully booked (around 50–60 people), clearly showing how popular it is.


Aside from the main dining area near the entrance (which can seat around 40–50 people), there’s also a secondary space on the side that can accommodate another 20–30 people, directly connected to a semi-open transparent kitchen. But perhaps thanks to an excellent ventilation system, there wasn’t any noticeable cooking smell wafting over.


This photo shows the long table near the entrance, where we ate today. As for the other angle, I chose not to post it because there were too many people.


SOLO PASTA primarily serves Italian pasta, with mid-to-high pricing. They also offer many dishes from various regions of Italy, along with a great selection of wines to pair with the food.


So “waiting for the pasta” basically means it’s cooked fresh—and apparently, you really do have to wait quite a while...


That day, we had side dishes—what we often call a chef’s tasting menu—and even the wine was chosen by the restaurant. We just showed up, ate, and paid (laughs).


For drinks, we started with white wine, then switched to red in the middle when the meat dishes came out. I’m not much of a wine expert, so I won’t pretend to be—just sharing my personal taste impressions. This white wine was smoother than others I’ve had before, with much less alcohol burn and astringency. Served slightly chilled, it was delicious.


The first three dishes, reportedly not on the regular menu, were compliments from the chef. The highlight and peculiarity of this appetizer were the sprinkled cocoa powder—but honestly, the cocoa flavor was barely detectable. The overall texture was slightly sticky and tangled, with a complex layering of ingredients’ flavors. There were hints of mushrooms and vegetables, and biting into whole nuts added a more distinct crunch. The taste was decent, though a little lacking in a clear focus.


This one was probably fried whitefish meatballs. They looked crispy, even crunchy on the outside, but were soft and tender inside with a slight chewy bite. The fish flavor was accompanied by a light spiced aroma and a hint of sweet-sour tomato. Interesting and appetizing.


Sea urchin has always been considered a delicacy by many gourmets, but for me, it’s a nightmare... Along with salmon roe, they’re two ingredients I’ve never been able to enjoy... And today was no exception. But paired with grapefruit, the annoying fishiness was indeed reduced, making it much easier to eat.


Truffle sauce, onsen egg, and mashed potatoes. At first glance, you might ask, “Where’s the truffle sauce?” The answer is in the yolk—but apparently, this is a tricky process... So on our table of 13, only about half of the eggs had intact yolks.


The first impression was, as expected, the distinctive aroma of truffle, but it was much lighter than imagined yet lingered on the tongue. The yolk, though somewhat prominent (in proportion), played more of a supporting role—sweet without much egginess or greasiness (though some members still detected a slight eggy taste). It was much tastier than I’d expected.

The texture was sticky and tangled, like sucking the yolk out of a soft-boiled egg. Paired with the extremely fine mashed potatoes underneath, it added another layer of smoothness, and as the flavors settled, the subtle sweetness of the potato emerged—absolutely delicious.


Capri Island cheese salad. This is a representative Italian salad, mainly featuring mozzarella, paired with cherry tomatoes and olive oil. When you bite into the cheese, there’s a slight tackiness, making it quite refreshing.


Sicilian-style braised snapper. The delicate texture of the snapper in this dish was not only just right in mouthfeel but also lifted in flavor to become even more refreshing and delicious. However, what I loved more were the potatoes at the bottom, which had soaked up the broth. They were pan-fried, adding a slight charred note, yet not softened by the broth into a mushy texture. When you bit into them, the sweetness of the potato and the umami of the broth were incredibly alluring. I could honestly say I loved this sweet-salty-umami sauce so much, I wanted a piece of bread to mop up every last drop.


Shenong goose meat ragout. This small jar of richly oily goodness initially made me think it was foie gras—or something similar—but it turned out to be minced goose meat mixed with goose fat. Of course, the top layer was definitely pure goose fat. Eating it straight, it was very rich and melted in the mouth, with saltiness much lighter than I expected, though still mildly salty. The richness of the goose fat was strong, and the sweetness of the goose meat was quite noticeable (especially if you scooped from the bottom). There was also a faint hint of something like offal, which I actually quite liked—but some members couldn’t stand it.


Air-dried raw duck breast ham. The moment you take a bite of the air-dried raw duck breast, the sweetness of the duck meat gently and slowly wraps around your palate—especially the sweetness from the duck fat on the edges. The texture isn’t much different from regular Italian prosciutto. PS: The pickled cucumbers on the side had a pleasantly high acidity, even a little astringent, adding a zesty kick.


Black pork cured ham. The ham was incredibly tender. When you bite into it, the distinct sweetness of the fat and meat is crystal clear. The sweetness isn’t heavy but is quite enchanting. I think this might be the best cured ham I’ve had so far.


It’s worth mentioning that it wasn’t sliced super thinly, so when you eat and savor it, there’s a bit more bounce, and the way the fat melts in your mouth feels richer and lasts longer—absolutely delicious.


This was the baked Mafia focaccia served alongside the first three dishes. After baking, the bread had an enticing aroma. Crispy on the outside, nearly but not overly hard, and the inside was light and fluffy—delicious.


When you spread a generous amount of the “goose meat ragout” (adjusted to your preference), the richness of the goose fat and meat isn’t as overwhelming, and chewing the bread becomes less dry and more flavorful—adding a pleasant texture. That day, if I remember correctly, I ended up eating three or four slices of this bread, which I usually don’t like because it’s a bit dry...


Pairing it with duck breast or cured ham works too—you can just sit, chat, sip some wine, and relax, especially with a group of good friends.


By then, most of the white wine on everyone’s tables was gone, so the waiter brought out a bottle of red wine. This wine was a bit more astringent and fuller-bodied than the previous white, but it also had more aromatic complexity.


Strawberry risotto and wagyu cheek. Ever since I had a very firm yet rice-aromatic risotto at Guangyin VIVO Spanish Fusion Cuisine, my perception and preference for risotto completely changed.SOLO PASTA’s risotto was firmer than the typical risotto we usually eat, with a bit more bite and chewiness to the grains. But for me at the time (with not-so-great teeth), I actually found it a bit too soft... Of course, the rice aroma after chewing was slightly less pronounced, but some others at the table found it too hard.


While I might be a bit nitpicky about the firmness of the rice, the sauce simmered with beef cheek is incredibly sweet and rich. Then there’s the strawberry note—subtly tangy and just slightly jarring to the palate—that’s genuinely unique and quite charming. At the very least, it grows on you the more you eat it, though of course it’s still a far cry from Guangyin’s “Cranberry Risotto.” PS: The tender, slow-cooked beef cheek lies beneath the rice.


Lightly smoked bone-in beef short ribs. The moment this damn dish was served, the whole group started murmuring in awe—what beautiful marbling. Soon, phones and cameras were clicking nonstop. PS: A special mention must go to the Italian chard on the side... so sweet, so incredibly sweet.

This is Nonzi’s plate—notice how noticeably larger it is... which drew some “unfair!” complaints from the other group members... though mostly in the form of envious grumbles. That said, these beef short ribs were likely made with aged beef, so there wasn’t much juice squeezed out by the fork, but the moment you bit into it, the juices burst out like crazy—almost with every single bite. Truly astonishing juiciness.

The sweetness of the meat isn’t overpowering, but it grows more pronounced with each chew. There’s also a faint smoky aroma upon first bite that’s very alluring. What moved me even more was the texture—it had a slight chew, yet the meat seemed to almost melt away halfway through, while still retaining a sense of firmness. It was just insanely delicious...


Reversed apple pie with Islay ice cream. Typically, apple pie is baked in a large slice and then cut into eighths or twelfths, but this one comes as charming little rounds. The apple itself has far more juice than expected, with acidity much lighter than anticipated but a higher sweetness, plus a hint of something like a fragrant liquor. The crust is light and flaky. Overall, it’s quite tasty, BUT...


I was actually really looking forward to this apple pie paired with the ice cream, but this finely textured, sticky ice cream carries an utterly bizarre flavor that completely shook up the entire group. Yes, it has a slightly numbing taste, reminiscent of “toothache drops”... If anyone doesn’t know what “toothache drops” are, ask your parents—or even your grandparents. Basically, back when dental clinics were scarce, it was one of the household remedies for tooth pain (the other being oral “Wufenzhu”).


Apparently, that’s the dominant flavor of this 58% alcohol. I imagine that’s also why the chef turned it into ice cream, but alas, I’ve been terrified of that flavor since childhood...


If I had to describe the taste... it’s like the antiseptic, anesthetic liquid they spray in your mouth at the dentist at the start... Not entirely accurate, but close enough.


Funny thing is, this place specializes in pasta, yet we didn’t have any pasta the entire meal. The overall flavors were pretty good (pricing aside), and for reference, each person’s meal that day cost 1300 NTD (plus 10%), bringing the total per person, including drinks, to over 1700 NTD.

【Solo Pasta】

Address:No. 29-1, Section 1, Anhe Road, Da’an District, Taipei City
Phone:(02) 2775-3645
Business Hours:11:30–22:30
Xiao Hu’s Food Dream Net
If “eating” is just about filling your stomach, then “food” would be far too boring~~~